October 26, 2007

This is a fascinating picture taken from the NY Times Blog "The Lede" from their coverage of the SoCal fires. It shows the smoke from these Wildfires as seen from space. It really just puts into perspective how seriously powerful these fires are.

Below is a blog comment that I left on the NY Times website about the Wildfires raging through my hometown of San Diego. It's comment # 313 if you click the link above:

I didn’t find out what happened to my house until yesterday when my momcalled me. My house, the house I grew up in and that has been in my family foralmost 30 years, is gone. The place where my house used to be now resembles “avolcanic crater” according to my Dad. I’m currently studying abroad in Madrid,Spain, and while I’m here going through midterms, the rest of my family is inEscondido, CA dealing with the greatest disaster we’ve ever gone through…and Idon’t know what to do. Right now I’ve kind of just pushed everything to the backof my mind, pretending like it’s just some primetime drama I watch on Thursdaynights, and not something real that’s actually happening. Because I’m afraidthat if I allow myself to face the truth then I won’t be able to function andtake care of my responsibilities. I have midterms right now and I want to makesure that I do my best so that during this dark time I can show my parents mystrength just like they’ve shown me theirs.

Look, there is a lot of political arguing and a lot of placing blame thatis going to happen in the next few months, and it makes me shudder. Solidarityis what we need, not more division. Not more division about what’s going on inIraq. Not more division about what to do in Burma. Not more division over ourecological footprint. And not more division about who gets blamed for what didor did not happen in response to this, our most current, disaster. The more wecriticize, insult, and divide each other the weaker we become. I encourage youto remember in these coming months that it is our solidarity and trust in ourfellow man that will get us through. It is our care we exhibit and our actionsthat will give support, and not our words and arguments. We must act like wecare, not just talk like it. We must make change, not just talk about it. Wemust live what we believe, and create the world that we want to live in, notjust dream of it.

To everyone in San Diego. To all my friends and neighbors I hope that youare safe. Some of you may have lost your homes, like me, but you still have yourlives and your loved ones. Remember those were only things that burned in thefire. Things that represented memories and emotions which we still have in ourminds and hearts. No fire can take them away. I encourage you to not be afraidto seek help and counseling from friends or professionals. It is important tolet people in especially during a time of pain like this. Love is what will healus and make us strong once again. Right now we have a choice, a choice to actout of fear or out of love. With every action we must choose.